Labour Market Statistics for Scotland by Disability: January to December 2022

Overview

There is diversity within the disabled community. The number and types of impairments change from person to person. Therefore, this diversity can be hidden when looking at the overall disability employment rate. The Disabled People by Impairments section contains analysis looking at the employment rates for disabled people aged 16 to 64 by the number of impairments and the types of impairments disabled people may have. Disability is self-reported by individuals participating in the ONS Annual Population Survey.

Employment

In 2022, an estimated 436,400 disabled people aged 16 to 64 were in employment.

The employment rate for disabled people aged 16 to 64 was estimated at 50.7 per cent, increasing from 49.6 per cent in 2021.  The employment rate for disabled people is above the rate in 2019 (49.0 per cent) and has passed 50.0 per cent for the first time.

This was significantly lower than the rate for non-disabled people (82.5 per cent). The employment rate for non-disabled people increased from 80.8 per cent in 2021 to 82.5 per cent in 2022.  The employment rate for non-disabled people has also passed the 2019 (pre-pandemic) rate of 81.6 per cent.

The difference between the employment rates for non-disabled and disabled people is the disability employment rate gap. It is defined as the employment rate for non-disabled people minus the employment rate for disabled people.

The disability employment rate gap was estimated at 31.9 percentage points. This represents a statistically significant gap. The disability employment rate gap has increased by 0.7 percentage points (pp) over the year. However, it has decreased by 0.8 pp since 2019 (pre-pandemic) and continues the narrowing of the gap seen prior to the pandemic.

Over the longer term, since 2016, the disability employment rate gap has decreased by 5.5 percentage points from 37.4 percentage points to 31.9 percentage points

The reduction in the disability employment rate gap from 2019 to 2022 and 2016 to 2022 was due to the employment rate for disabled people increasing by more than the employment rate for non-disabled people over the same period.

Chart 1: Employment rate for disabled and non-disabled people aged 16 to 64, Scotland, 2014 to 2022

Source: Annual Population Survey, January to December datasets, ONS
Note: The disability employment rate gap is shown in chart 2

Unemployment

In 2022, an estimated 28,900 disabled people aged 16 to 64 were unemployed. The unemployment rate for disabled people aged 16 to 64 was estimated at 6.2 per cent. This was higher than the rate for non-disabled people (2.8 per cent).

The unemployment rate for non-disabled people is the same as in 2019 (pre-pandemic). However, the unemployment rate for disabled people is now below the rate in 2019 (8.2 per cent) and is lower than at any time since 2014.

Economic Inactivity

In 2022, an estimated 395,900 disabled people aged 16 to 64 were economically inactive. The inactivity rate for disabled people aged 16 to 64 was estimated at 46.0 per cent. This was significantly higher than the rate for non-disabled people (15.1 per cent).

The inactivity rate for non-disabled people is lower than the 2019 (pre-pandemic) rate of 16.1 per cent. The inactivity rate for disabled people is also below the rate in 2019 (46.6 per cent) and is lower than at any time since 2014.

Local Authority areas

In 2022, estimates for Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands were considered unreliable and have not been included.

Over the year, the employment rate for disabled people aged 16 to 64 increased in 18 and decreased in 12 of Scotland’s Local Authority areas. Two areas saw a statistically significant change with Highland decreasing by 19.6 percentage points (pp) to 35.5 per cent and Fife increasing by 12.6 pp to 58.2 per cent.

The 2022 estimates for Highland is from a small sample sizes. The estimate and change on year estimate should be used with caution.

In 2022, the employment rate for disabled people was greater than 50.0 per cent in 19 of Scotland’s Local Authority areas and lower than 50.0 per cent in 11 of Scotland’s Local Authority areas.

The local authority areas with the highest employment rates for disabled people were:

• Na h-Eileanan Siar (65.7 per cent)
• Midlothian (62.9 per cent)
• Scottish Borders (61.1 per cent)

The local authority areas with the lowest employment rates for disabled people were:

• Highland (35.5 per cent)
• Dumfries and Galloway (39.3 per cent)
• South Ayrshire (40.3 per cent)

The estimates for Na h-Eileanan Siar and Highland are from small sample sizes. These estimates should be used with caution.

Figure 1: Employment rate of disabled people, Local Authority areas, 2022

Source: Annual Population Survey, January to December 2022, ONS
Note: The estimates for Na h-Eileanan Siar and Highland are from small sample sizes. These estimates should be used with caution.
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